schieben

Schieben is a German verb with several related meanings centered on moving something by applying a pushing force along a surface. The core sense is physical: to push or slide an object, such as a cart or a box. It can also be used in a figurative sense, for example to delay or postpone something, or to move an idea or responsibility onto someone else.

Grammatically, schieben is a strong verb. In the present tense the forms are ich schiebe, du schiebst, er/sie/es schiebt, wir schieben, ihr schiebt, sie schieben. The simple past is schob, and the past participle is geschoben, with haben as the auxiliary in perfect tenses (Ich habe den Wagen geschoben). Many constructions use prefixes that modify the meaning, producing a family of related verbs.

Common prefixed forms include aufschieben (to postpone or to push open a lid), verschieben (to move or to postpone), einschieben (to insert), and hinausschieben (to push outward). Prefixes can be separable or inseparable, affecting word order in sentences.

Usage notes and contrasts: schieben describes a smooth, ongoing pushing action, in contrast to stoßen, which implies a more abrupt contact. Typical idioms include jdm. die Schuld schieben (to shift blame onto someone) and etwas aufschieben (to postpone something). In everyday speech, schieben appears frequently in physical, logistical, and figurative contexts.